What are some of your escapes or decompresors when you feel like you're burning the candle at both ends? By "burning the candle at both ends" I mean job responsibilities, mom/wife/home responsibilities, balancing professional and personnel...just not feeling like there is enough time in the day, week or month to get other things done (maybe things you would like to or goals you are trying to achieve). Hopefully, this makes sense. I need some inspiration. Thanks Mamas!
I put on some music that my kids like (think Britney Spears) and SING and dance like a total goof. It gets the kids going and laughing, music relaxes, and singing gets the blood going!!
I also make myself a drink after the kids go to bed and melt into my couch :)
Dear K. B. I find that I need my 'down' time in order to be my best...so when I can -- and no week is perfect....I used to feel guilty the first 2 1/2 years of my son's life for taking out time for me, but I learned that the more I am 'good' to me, the better and more relaxed momma I am...
-- Talk or coffee with a good friend.
-- Pilates 1-2x's a week -- it is like meditation for the soul as well...
-- Reading every day (I teach, so the academic stuff is also meditation).
-- vegging out in front of the TV with a good movie or my favorite shows -- glee, friday nite lites...the good wife, law and order...
-- pedicure 1 x a month...
Hope this inspires a bit...
A great book and a glass (or two) of red wine!
Wake up early, pray, read, and enjoy the quiet house before other people are up and about. Listen to an audio book with my headphones while I work. Read as much as I can and of course, read mamapedia. There's always so many people with so many problems that I tend to be a lot more thankful.
There are a lot of little things you can do. Here are a few of the many things I do to de-stress.
Listen to the radio in the car and sing along - I don't care who stares, I am decompressing-besides they can always join me. Taking a walk during my lunch at work - it is very relaxing. Take a random day off of work to do whatever I want like watch a movie or even having a date day with the kids and get them out of school for the day. Getting a pedicure every few months - in fact my husband and kids like getting them too! Finding time to read a good book. Changing the routine at home and maybe having breakfast for dinner to mix it up. After the kids are in bed, I sometimes put in a movie and make myself some popcorn. Remembering to take a deep breath every now and again. Put off chores for a day - the dishes won't mind. Having some chocolate milk takes me back to my childhood and makes me smile.
It is important to not let life drown you in all of the craziness. It is so easy to get caught up in all of it, but it helps to take a moment and really think of the truly important things in your life - like your children and family and yourself. You don't need to do anything extravagant to help you find that moment of peace and to refocus. It is the little things you do that can have a great impact.
I love to read whenever I have time, but I'm an English teacher so I don't get to read for fun much during the school year. Yesterday afternoon it wasn't too hot outside, so I relaxed in our hammock between two beautiful trees while my sons played in the backyard. That was a wonderful escape. I hardly ever just be still. It was so nice. I didn't move for about 30 minutes. The hammock was just gently swaying - very relaxing.
i wake up at 5 and go to the gym. I hate it when my alarm goes off, but i LOVE having a couple hours to myself in the morning outside of the house. They even have tanning there and it has turned into my super guilty pleasure :)
I've heard yoga is excellent for de-stressing. I haven't done it on a consistent basis but some of my co workers have and they swear by it. Particularly yin yoga that involves holding stretching positions for minutes at a time. I can't afford yoga classes so I'm looking into yoga DVDs. Will let you know what I find. Ask me about it later if I forget to reply again!
I am on a monday night community league kickball team, it is competitive but I hang out with friends and get to kick a ball (great for getting out frustration) as well as run the bases for exercise.
Every few months (6-8 months) I get a hair cut as well as getting a pedicure.
Once a month I get a massage, between my back issues and stress this is one of the most relaxing and helpful things in my life.
Every other month I get together with my girl friends, maybe every month if we have the time. We have dinner, see a show, drink some wine, chat and just enjoy each other before we had back to our homes.
Hobby is to paint... well I am an art major so more then a hobby but it is not always my first go to when needing to decompress.
I run.
I kind of fell into it on accident (was dared into a triathlon, ended up loving the run), and having been one of those people who never thought running would ever be fun, I am still a little surprised a few years later at how amazing it is. It's almost like therapy! lol Some days I don't have time to do more than a quick 2 or 3 miles, but oh how I look forward to my long runs on the weekend now! Tomorrow will be 20 miles, which means a good 3 hrs to be out enjoying the world around me, listening to my own music, just getting inside my own head or solving the problems of the world.
It's still amazing to me that something that would seem to be just one more thing on the to-do list, one more thing that would suck the energy out of me, can be so soothing, inspiring and reenergizing!
I need water when I'm worn out or stressed. (Lake, river, ocean, I don't care, as long as I can watch it alone, and get in when I feel like it). Things I like to do when needing some "me time": a pedicure, a massage, get lost in the library, ride a bike, go to an art museum, lunch to decompress and talk with a good friend, do some photography, do some scrapbooking (I'll make a goal for 1 or 2 pages and then just play), I'll go to the beach early in the morning and watch the tide come in. I like to play, swim in the water like when I was younger, then come out, lay down and read a book until I'm hot enough to get back in again. That works better and faster than anything else for me.
I actually had my Doc tell me that I really needed to get to a place where stress was not playing such an active role in my life. His two rules for me were 1. Work out as often as possible, as in a lot 2. Find one thing to do, every day, for myself that brings me pleasure
As you I balance professional with mom/wife/home but I am very fortunate to work in an environment where I can flex my hours. So instead of cutting into my home time which I personally value above my professional life, I now work about five hours less a week and and attend two zumba classes and two yoga classes a week. It has helped TREMENDOUSLY. Plus, for me, in a regular week they meet the 2nd requirement for me as well as the 1st. Now don't get me wrong, a couple months without being able to curl up by myself for a couple hours with a good book and nothing else to worry about starts bringing me down so I still have to find time for that as well. And I find that I start to get too much in my own head because on your day-to-day basis we just don't have the time and energy to touch base with those really close friends who help us work through stuff. So I have to really work at making sure I meet with a good girlfriend every couple weeks just to take me out of my own head for awhile and share with them what's happening in my life and soak in what's happening in their life and just share perspectives. This is very important to do as "adult time" usually with a glass of wine and dinner. Visiting at the playground just doesn't provide the same healing power. I have also been very blessed with a wonderful, supportive husband who recognizes (for the most part) how much I need to make this stuff happen for myself but also for all of our happiness and sanity.
Oh and I almost forgot - sorry this is getting long! I'm learning to let go - I think the most difficult part. So I don't get that pan washed tonight, you know what, I'll have some time and a little more energy in the morning to get it done. I didn't get that load of laundry in, we have more than enough clothes to get us by so I refuse to stress about it. I didn't get the living/dining/kitchen floor cleaned - it'll be there tomorrow or this weekend and perhaps my husband might do it. For me, letting go of some control has really, really helped! I wish you the best!!!
I sleep! A good 10-15 min catnap in the middle of the day does it for me.
Sometimes just sitting on the couch staring off into space helps. Seriously. Since I am a result oriented person, the boredom gets the better of me and after a few minutes I have the gusto I need to get some things done.
It totally makes sense! I take time to myself on a weekly basis, a few hours or so and just r-e-l-a-x. The time usually consists of either gardening, reading a book, giving myself a facial. Once a month I take one whole day to myself & LEAVE the house (this is important). During my day out, I might get a massage, visit with a friend over lunch, get my nails done, see a movie, something. It's important for you to take this time (insist on it if you have too). I find it really revitalizes me and makes me a better Mom & wife. :-)
